here, now and always
by czqy
Summary: Lance comes home to a surprise. One of Keith's missions ended earlier than expected, so he's here to visit Lance. They banter, they comfort and are comfortemed/em, and they just enjoy being with each other again.


When Lance begins to head back to the house, the sun has already started setting. It makes him want to extend his short journey into a long one—the sky becomes painted with beautiful pinks and oranges, and he's tempted to stop so he can savour every moment of it, becoming a part of the canvas. Sunsets remind him that he's on Earth, he's home, and they hold many cherished memories for him. One of which, he finds, is waiting for him at the bottom of the steps leading up to the veranda.

The moment Lance spots Keith, he snaps out of his reverie-like state and immediately launches himself at the man, wrapping his legs around his waist and swinging his arms around his neck. Keith catches him easily, and holds him steady as if he weighs nothing, chuckling as Lance desperately clings onto him. When Lance pulls back, he looks down into indigo eyes, and sees stars in them. Keith smiles up at him, whispers a simple 'surprise', and then Lance is on him again.

How long has it been since they've kissed? Probably only a few months, or weeks at shortest, but still too long nonetheless. Lance drinks it in now, the way Keith's lips feel against his own, the way he tastes, the way he makes those breathy noises when they come up for air. Lance has his hands in Keith's hair—still long, although he wears it in a ponytail now—and grabs fistfuls of it. Keith starts to tap his fingers against Lance, an indication he's going to let go, and Lance drops down immediately, only because he understands how itchy one's hands can get when they aren't doing anything.

Lance hugs Keith again when they finally stop kissing, as if to make sure he's really here, and then Keith pecks the area under his ear, the space between his eyes, and the corner of his mouth, before pressing his lips against Lance's again, just to prove that he is.

They head into the house after, Lance leaping over the stairs and swinging the door open for Keith, who takes one step at a time, moving at a slow, easy pace. He smiles when he reaches the top, and even after all these years, it leaves Lance awestruck. Lance gives a grin of his own, then holds out his hand for Keith to take.

"Welcome home."

* * *

After dinner, where Lance's family got to talk with Keith more than Lance himself did, they go to Lance's room. It's on the far end, still attached to the main dwelling, but self-contained, so it's basically like another house. Most of other rooms are like this too. The family had the house designed this way so everyone could have their own private spaces, while also having a main kitchen, dining room, and living room where they could spend time together.

The room is now Keith's as much as it is Lance's. Since beginning their relationship, Keith visited Earth more frequently, and spent longer periods of time here. He always stayed with Lance, because they had the room, and it was a lot more convenient. Keith was so careful around the space at first, and when Lance told him to just treat it like his own home, he said he couldn't. He didn't have one on Earth, not anymore. After that, Lance declared that this would be his home now, for as long as he was here.

Keith settled in quite well, actually. He has his own closet and set of drawers, although he's never had many belongings, so Lance takes over half of his area. He has his own toiletries too, and since there are two sinks in the bathroom he gets his own, but the two of them share a toothbrush holder—which is really just a cup—that sits in the middle. Lance thinks it's very cute, but when he sees it there while Keith is away, it often results in sharp pangs of longing.

He's here now though, and Lance is upset his family got more time with him.

"Come on," Keith draws out the syllables, "you have me all to yourself now."

"I know, but I could've had you for _longer_," Lance whines.

Keith steps close to Lance, their chests almost flush. He leans forwards so their foreheads touch, breaths mingling together as they breathe. "You've got me until the end of time."

Lance lets out a shaky laugh, overwhelmed with emotion. He closes his eyes, biting his bottom lip to keep from smiling too hard. _God, this man is ridiculous_. When he recovers, he pushes against Keith's chest playfully, putting some distance between them. "If you wanted to get into my pants, you should've said that in uniform."

"I can't believe this!" Keith fakes exaggerated shock, and lets out a gasp. "And here I thought you wanted me for _me_! You've just been after the outfit the whole time, haven't you?!"

"Shit," Lance looks away, before bringing his hands up in surrender, "you got me."

Keith shakes his head, forms a gun with his hands, and pretends to shoot Lance. Lance plops backwards onto his bed with a hand over his heart, and lets out his final breath. There's a moment of silence before they both start laughing.

"When're we ever going to grow up?"

"Hey," Lance protests, "we are very mature adults."

"If you say so."

Lance lies on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, while Keith does whatever he's doing. He turns his head and looks out the window after a bit, sees all the stars in the sky, and is reminded of his time in space, but not the good times. He turns back.

"Sometimes I still can't believe you're here with me," he says frankly.

"What do you mean?" Keith's voice sounds distant, he must be at the other end. There's a rustling that tells Lance he's taking off his jacket.

"Well, with everything that happened, everything I thought I'd lose, everything I _did_ lose, I—" Lance suddenly chokes up, tears welling in his eyes. He covers his face with his hands, and lets out a long breath, trying to get a hold of himself. Keith is beside him almost immediately, bed dipping where Keith's knees dig in before he lies down.

Slowly, Lance's hands are removed from his face, and replaced with Keith's. Keith holds his face delicately, and when Lance turns to face him, he places a kiss on Lance's forehead. He then rubs his thumbs over Lance's Altean markings, and they make the soft sound that means they're glowing.

"Hey, it's okay."

"I'm sorry."

The moment Lance speaks, he starts to cry. He grasps onto Keith's shirt, then curls in on himself. Keith wraps his arms around him, pulling him closer. Lance is pressed against Keith's chest, he can hear his heartbeat, and it helps calm him down. Time passes, but they don't move. They lie there, melded together, as one.

* * *

Lance must've fallen asleep, because when he comes to again, it's a lot darker in the room. Keith is still holding him, running his hand up and down his back, whispering sweet nothings into his hair. When he tilts his head and peeks up, Keith pulls back a bit so they can see each other more clearly, and smiles.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"You feeling better?"

"Yeah," Lance nods, as best he can, "thanks."

Keith kisses the top of his head, then lets Lance stretch out his body. He turns on the bedside lamp in the meantime. When Lance is done, he rests his head on the same pillow as Keith. He simply watches his boyfriend, who watches him back.

And then, Lance brings his hand up, ever so slowly, to rests it against Keith's cheek. A moment later, he moves it under his jaw, and gently runs his thumb along the sharp line. With his other hand, he traces along the other side of Keith's face, letting his fingers linger on his mark.

"Is it… Is it a scar?" Lance realises he's never actually asked about it. It doesn't feel like a scar, but he doesn't know how else it could've appeared.

"I don't know actually," Keith takes the hand off his neck and threads their fingers together, "it kind of hurt when I got it? And there was something that sounded like searing, but maybe that's meant to happen. It could just be a Galra feature. I'm not sure why this one stayed, and not the others."

Lance hums. "I guess we'll never know."

"You know what I do know, though?" Keith rolls on top of Lance, and hovers over him. Lance knows where this is going, but he plays along.

"Enlighten me."

"I know," Keith starts, "how much I love you." Lance's heart skips a beat. He'll never tire of hearing this.

"And…" Lance twirls a loose piece Keith's hair with his finger.

"And, I know how much you love me," Keith presses lightly against Lance's lips.

"And…" Lance mumbles it against Keith's mouth.

"And, I know that no matter how far apart we are, I am still here, as you are with me…"

"Now and always."

Keith finally lets himself sink down on Lance, who has been waiting, and more promises are shared, albeit silent this time, between their tender touches and mellow murmurs. Between their kisses, rushed then slow, they devote their souls to one another, so they may find each other again in other lifetimes, for how lucky are they to have found someone who matches them so perfectly?


End file.
